Market-Oriented Short-Term (MOST) Poultry Farm Workers Skill Training

The Market-Oriented Short-Term (MOST) Poultry Farm Workers Skill Training was an intensive three-month-long training program designed to promote entrepreneurial culture among youths while enhancing the overall poultry farming sector of Nepal. The initiative was part of the Skill for Employment Project (SEP), a joint venture between the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT), and the Ministry of Education, Nepal Government.

The poultry sector constituted an integral part of Nepalese agriculture and exerted a considerable contribution to the national economy. Different systems and scales of poultry farming were practiced all over Nepal, from the plains of the Terai to the high hills, providing employment opportunities and a reliable means of livelihood for numerous families and communities. The poultry sector had been on the rise for the past few decades, and gradual improvements had been realized in terms of overall productivity. The improving industry also warranted modern commercial technologies and a skilled, competent technical workforce to keep up with changing dynamics. In light of the aforementioned scenario, AHTCS endorsed the MOST Poultry Farm Workers Training from 2010-2011. Three cycles of MOST training were delivered, producing 588 graduates from all over Nepal. The training proved instrumental in equipping farmers with relevant modern farming techniques and best management practices. Besides technical and managerial aspects of poultry farming, the program fostered entrepreneurship development, business planning, marketing, networking skills enhancement, promotion of commercialization of the industry, and linking graduates with job opportunities. The overall program’s achievements were marked by the production, linkage, and mobilization of poultry farm worker graduates with technical skills and knowledge, helping them navigate their way into the poultry industry.